Where do you begin when you attempt to put so much emotion and love into words? This trip was much needed and will never be forgotten. But it really doesn't help with the details that uploading all these pictures and videos has taken me almost one week.The Sunday before Thanksgiving, Andrew and I packed up the kids and waited, and waited, for my parents and grandparents to be ready to depart - well let's be real, we all waited for my mom to be ready. The kids were so antsy waiting around here, we loaded up, got gas, and donuts and finally left without everyone else. Our plan was to meet up in Bakersfield for lunch. Turns out, we went one way, they went another.... so a group lunch did not happen but to make matters worse, we had to cut across to meet them back on the 99 - BLA, more driving! Well we found them along the drive and cruised forward for a time. Until Jackson had to pee.... this landed us at our first stop - some Rest Stop along the 99. The kids were SO excited to see we had company on our Road Trip!
We weren't able to get a room at our resort on Sunday night, so my dad got us all hotel rooms in Elk Grove. Let me tell you, we were ready to stop!!! We had an incredible dinner at Texas Roadhouse (YUM Paige!!) and then a relaxing swim in the hotel. We all needed to stretch out even though it was past the babies bedtime.
Monday morning our drive to Tahoe continued. I couldn't get over the changing of the trees - it was simply stunning. I so wish I got a better picture, but this is all I have.
Again, the view was stunning as we got even closer to Tahoe. Let me back track - originally my mom was trying to plan a trip to Utah. Now I would have loved to see so many people there, but I so hate that drive. We od-ed on that drive the summer of 2007, so I wasn't too thrilled. Well the cabin she wanted fell through so I immediately looked into our timeshare in Tahoe. Ok my point is..... This drive kicks the Utah drive's BUTT!! So much better!
WE ARRIVED!!! We couldn't check in for a couple hours, so as soon as we reached our desitnation, we stopped for lunch. Andrew, being Andrew, found this pizza place online. He did a lot of restaurant research for our trip and found out that this place was incredible. So we tried it out and let me just say - I may drive back just for the pizza!
Monday night we wanted to check out the town. We went to the main shopping center and it really didn't have much to offer. The ice skating was so expensive and we knew it wouldn't be worth the ten minutes our kids would last. So we loaded up again and went out to eat elsewhere.
But first I used Abuelita's hair to hold Andi's clip.
We ate our dinner at Baja Fresh - BLA, I can't stand that place. It was the only thing we could find and it wasn't great, but it did the trick. I mean really, could anything ruin our night???? NO!
Tuesday morning started out like normal.... 7am time to eat!
Yeah for Costco muffins. This particular condo doesn't have a kitchen - so we brought traveling food. It worked out well... we never went out to breakfast and we had plenty to snack on all day and night.
The best part of the condo is the bathtub. Every room has a jacuzzi that doubles as a shower. We SO need this at our house. The kids fit much better in here than they do at home.
We brought all their bedding (thanks Jena) so they felt right at home. Morning naps were a piece of cake!!
Once the babies were rested and Mom was ready (hahaha jk... sort of), we headed across the street to play in the snow. Jackson was dying. Monday night all he wanted to do was play in the snow. It was amazing.
As you can see, there was a lot melted. They had only had a couple light snow storms a week or so before we went. But there was plenty in the shaded areas. Really, with the ages of our kids, it was perfect. If it were any colder, it would not have been very pleasant.
While planning this trip, Andrew said, "The thing I am most looking forward to about Tahoe, is spending so much time with your grandparents!". Really, it wouldn't have been (because it never is) the same without them.
Thanks to Max and Ruby, Jackson made MANY, MANY snow angels.
I just love the little footprints.
This view so reminded me of the view leaving Pepperdine every morning. And of course, the photo doesn't do it justice.
After some snow, it was time for lunch - yum! It was incredible. And the best part was it was attached to a little soda parlor - aka ice cream and goodies :)
After naps that day, we tried to do a family picture. I so wished I planned on this so we would have had matching outfits, but whatever, it worked. So those pictures will be shown once all the cards have been mailed. Yes, I have had them done since Monday, but haven't even attempted to get them addressed and mailed - my bad.
During naps my parents and grandparents ventured out to find a good spot to take the kids sledding. So once pictures were done (as best as we could do) we went to the park on the lake. The beachfront... GORGEOUS.
Andi was such a trooper - she was braver than the boys. We even sent her down the hill alone (video posted below pictures) and it didn't even phase her. She's tough! God created her with her brothers in mind, that I have no doubt!
Jackson had to make an angel just like grandpa grandpa's.
There are so many videos of these below.
Ryan was done, so done, but then he saw Jackson doing this on my dad. He was trying to tell us something and once we figured out that he wanted to do it as well, we couldn't get him to stop. I think he would have done it all night. I love it.
Juana and Ito hung out in the car keeping Missy warm.
We were trying to figure out what the heck these ducks were doing out in the cold - crazy.
So we are all together - where do you think we would go for dinner?!?!?! Yes, Andrew planned ahead and found good reviews on a sushi restaurant. We arrive at 4:30, they were closed until 5. We were annoyed so we left..... then returned because frankly, nothing else would do for our last Tahoe dinner.
The kids were SO happY!!!
Once we returned to the room, we wanted to let the kids run around a bit. The lobby was stunning and so peaceful, so we hung out there in front of the fire. The boys played catch and ran around - it was perfect.
Then wrestling with ito - that's how we say goodnight!
In our bedroom, the babies were camped out in their pack n plays, and Jackson got the bed. The bedroom is in the way back, so it worked out to have them there. Andrew and I slept in our living room (we had our own rooms). It was the most amazing sofa sleeper ever. I should have taken a picture because it was amazing. If we had that when we lived at Pepperdine, Wes would have NEVER moved out.
Wednesday morning we packed up to head home. It was sad, but good. It was perfect timing because we were returning to a holiday, then a brief day at work, and then a weekend. It was the perfect transition back into life.
One stop was at oh wait....We had our first case of car sickness on the way home - Jackson started complaining, as we were getting tot he end of the windy road, that he needed medicine. He said he needed some for his mouth and he began crying. I knew something was up when he started coughing and gaging. I told Andrew to pull over, he said he couldn't on the freeway, so I then YELLED AT HIM TO PULL OVER, he did, I undid my seatbelt - and Jackson released. Luckily it all landed in his blanket so we were able to bundle that up and not clean anything. He was SO happy after that. He was so happy because we were headed to get some pasta at the Olive Garden.
They must have thought we looked like trouble because we were seated in our own little dining room - WE'LL TAKE IT!
The other cool thing was this was like an Anniversary lunch for my grandparents. (Actual anniversary the 30th!).
Missy DID NOT want to let her hands touch the grass - it was hilarious.
It was a short trip, but the memories are endless. We are thankful for all everyone did to make this possible. Tahoe - we will be back!*Ok I was going to put the following videos in their proper places, but after working on this for a week, I am so over that. So here they are....
This last video is the when we hit the 14 freeway - the kids were DONE!
